


Run Don't Walk

by Little_Inkstone



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-28 11:27:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8444077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Inkstone/pseuds/Little_Inkstone
Summary: Walking from one end of Storybrooke to the other should be easy for the librarian, Belle French, even in her high heels.  Too bad it seems that someone, or something, has decided to follow her.  Written for the 2016 Rumbelle Revelry.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [witchnova221](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=witchnova221).



Belle French was being watched.  She could feel it, an uncomfortable prickling running along her neck that could only mean someone’s eyes were focused on her.  Increasing her pace turned and looked down the dark street that yawned before her. One streetlight flickered uselessly, the rest were out.

It was times like this that Belle wished she had a car; Storybrooke was a small enough that she could walk almost everywhere, and a car seemed like a major waste.  Or it had until she needed to walk to the other side of town to take care of a book shipment for the library that had been messed up. It wasn’t so much the walk that had bothered her, even in her three-inch heels, but now it was well after dusk and the feeling of being watched hadn’t left since she’d turned down the darkened street.

The only sound was her ragged breath and the clicking of her heels as she power-walked down the street.  The muscles in her legs were beginning to burn with the effort of not simply bursting into a run.  Suddenly another sound joined the echoing click of her heels along the dark path: a second pair of footsteps had joined hers.

She turned to look but no one was behind her.  The feeling of being watched was getting worse; her unease was growing with every step. Unable to control herself Belle broke into a run, feeling the menacing presence that was following her also pick up speed as it pressed against her back.  Belle looked behind her one last time, thinking she finally saw the form of something following her when she slammed into something hard and solid blocking her path.

Screaming she lost her balance and began to fall, but before she could hit the pavement strong arms wrapped around her.  Panting and terrified she was about to look into the eyes of a deranged serial killer she instead found herself looking into the rich brown eyes of Mr. Gold, pawnbroker and landlord; and if the town was to be believed, a monster in a fine suit. Belle had never been happier to see someone in her life; her heart jumping her chest for reasons that had nothing to do with fear.

“Odd time of night to be going for a run, Miss French.”  He said tilting his head to the side to scrutinize her.  “And a peculiar choice of footwear too.”  He added.

“Oh I uh…” Belle let out a breathless laugh as her breathing began to return to normal.  “I –ahem– let the atmosphere get to me.”  She explained, ducking her head to blush.

He nodded but didn’t say anything, stepping away from her.  “It’s unwise for a beautiful woman like yourself to be out at this time of night.”  Gold murmured.  “I’d get home as soon as you can.”

“Yes, of course.” Belle replied awkwardly, biting her lower lip.  “I guess I’ll be seeing you around, Mr. Gold.”

“Hopefully not too soon, Miss French.”  Gold muttered cryptically.  She looked at him oddly but he didn’t explain, simply looking up at the sky where weak moonlight streaking through fluffy clouds.

Stepping around him she began to walk down the street again, just as the moon came out from where it had been hiding she turned to catch one last glimpse of him. He was still in the same spot, looking at her, the moonlight caught his skin and it seemed to gleam strangely.  A shiver ran down her spine but before she could get a really good look at him he’d turned away and was swallowed by the darkness of the street.  Her steps were just as hurried as before, but she didn’t bother looking behind her, she felt like she’d already run into the most dangerous thing lurking in the shadows.

She turned down another street, expecting to see the inviting glow of her apartment above the library, but instead found another dark street.  Clutching her purse closer to her side she began to walk, perhaps she had simply miscounted the streets she’d been down already.  One more turn and then she’d be home, safe in her bed where she could laugh about being afraid of the dark.  But one more turn turned into two, and two turned into three, and so on until Belle had to admit that she had somehow become lost in a town as small as Storybrooke; the lack of light wasn’t helping either.

Oh what she’d give to be at home, the warm glow of her apartment’s lights banishing her fears as she grabbed a good book and snuggled into bed to read.  Just as she was looking around to get her bearings a long low howl pierced the air; Belle jumped and then let out an uncomfortable laugh. _It’s just Pongo_ , she rationalized to herself, _Archie must have taken him out and he saw a squirrel or something, that’s all._

When the howl sounded again, much closer than before, all sense of reason was lost and Belle began to run, her heels clicking sharply.  Something was chasing her; she could hear it, the hot breath of her pursuer hitting her neck as she ran.  With barely a glance behind her she saw the large loping form of a creature, it’s form mostly in shadow as it chased her, it’s eyes blazing.

With tears blurring her vision she couldn’t keep track of where she was going, and soon she found herself in the woods around Storybrooke.  Belle knew that she had even less of a chance of survival among the trees then she’d had with the sleepy little houses of the town’s houses surrounding her.  Pressing herself against a tree she listened to whatever it was that was looking for her as it sniffed the air.  She closed her eyes and prayed to whatever god would listen to keep her from becoming a meal for the creature.

Carefully she opened her eyes to find the moon shining on a white gleaming stone wall not too far from her.  It was a house!  Surely the people there would let her in, even if it was just so she could call the sheriff and get a ride home.  Heart in her throat Belle snuck forward, terrified that at any moment she’d be attacked by the dark shape that had been chasing her.

She got to the wall and moved along it, looking for a door, only to come to the end of it and find that whatever house had stood there before was nothing but ruins now. Her heart sunk as she took in the crumbling stone, there would be no help to be found her, and more unsettling was the large stone slab in the center of the ruins.  A coffin?  An alter for sacrifice?  She didn’t know what would be worse.

Was this where she would meet her end; in the middle of the woods surrounded by crumbling stones with a beast on her trail?  She sighed and touched the rectangular stone, her shoulders slumping.  Then her spine straightened her eyes bright and sharp.

“No.”  Belle said aloud, quietly to herself.  “I’m going to survive this nightmare!”

Her declaration had attracted the monster to her, it’s low growl filling the air as she turned to face it.  Belle turned and pressed back against the stone slab, her hands shaking as she pulled the canister of bear spray she kept in her purse.  She raised her hand, ready to let loose a jet of stinging liquid.

Now that she could see the thing in the moonlight she took a good look at it.  It was like some kind of large lizard, green golden scales covering it from head to toe.  Long claws tipped it fingers and sharp teeth filled it mouth, but what really caught her attention.  They were soulfully brown, even changed as they were to look like lizard eyes instead of human.  Her breath caught as she looked into them, she knew those eyes, she’d been dreaming about those eyes for the past couple of months.

“I don’t want to do this to you, Mr. Gold.”  Belle said, trying to speak to the man that she now knew was behind the beast.  She licked her lips, her legs wobbling as she tried to stay standing.  “I know this isn’t really you.”  Belle added hoping to appeal to his inner self.  “ _Please_.”  She whispered weakly as the creature stalked forward.

Just as it lunged another figure stepped between them, the golden hand of a care flashing as it hit the beast’s shoulder.

“Stop it, Bae!” The newcomer yelled at the monster as it backed away.

“ _Mr. Gold_?!”  Belle squeaked, looking between the monster and the man.  She felt lightheaded with confusion.

Gold turned to look at her over his shoulder.  “I’m truly sorry about all this, Miss French.”  He said, far too calm for her liking.

Belle fell to her knees as she took in the scene before her.  The snarling monster that had, only moments before, almost eaten her was now siting looking at the man in front of her almost bashfully, it’s eyes baleful.  Said man was murmuring to the large lizard, stepping forward with his hands outstretched.

“That’s it, my darling boy, Papa’s here, you know not to try and eat nice people like Miss French.”  He cooed kneeling and hugging what was apparently his son.

“Tha-that’s Baden?” Belle whispered, looking at Mr. Gold. That couldn’t be possible, she _knew_ little Bae Gold; he was always in the library, quietly reading or excitedly picking out a new book.  He could only be about ten, and was much smaller than the hulking lizard that was crouching before her.  She crawled forward; hesitantly reaching out a hand to let him smell her, he did so and then shyly turned away, managing to look contrite.  “What happened?”

Mr. Gold continued to hold his son his face pensive.  “A curse.”  He whispered.  “One that I thought was my burden alone to bare; but it seems I truly ruin everything I touch.”

“I’m so sorry.” Belle replied.  Everything in her wanted to reject the idea of curses or magic, but the proof was standing in front of her.

“I should be apologizing to you!  My son almost ate you and all because I wasn’t there in time for his transformation.” Gold said sharply, his eyes dark with terror.

“But you saved me.” Belle argued.  “Twice in fact.”  She said with a small smile.  She didn’t want to contemplate what would have happened if she hadn’t run into him before.

His shoulders slumped as Bae rubbed against him.  “Still, you should never have been in danger, I need to make it up to you somehow.”

Belle bit her lower lip and looked at the sight before her; a man with his monster son snuggling in his arms.  There was sure to be an amazing story there and a big adventure too, but more importantly Belle wanted to know these two and not just for curiosities sake.  It had been a crazy night, and she felt as if it was about to get even more so.

“How about you take me out for dinner sometime and we call it even?”  She offered with a genuine smile.


End file.
